This page examines the reasons that detente between the USA and USSR took place in the 1970s.

2. The process of détente in the 1970s ensured that,
for a time at least, tensions were reduced between
the USA and USSR. But why did this happen?

3. There were four main
reasons that détente
took place:
1. The Vietnam War
2. Money problems in the
USA and Soviet Union
3. Fear of war
4. China

4. The Vietnam War
Vietnam had caused a
huge shock for the USA.
It had struggled to
beat a small, poor
country. And thousands
of US soldiers had lost
their lives.

5. As a result of
Vietnam, the US was
much less confident
about Cold War
victory.
It had also grown
tired of overseas war
and did not want to
fall into another one.

6. The USA wanted to
withdraw from Vietnam due
to this financial cost
and high death rate.
It hoped that détente
with the USSR might
reduce the chances of
Vietnam then becoming
Communist.

7. Fear of war
Both sides also worried
about what could happen
in a nuclear war.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
had shown how close such
a war could be and
caused fear amongst both
sides' leaders.

8. People in the east and
west were also scared of
nuclear war.
In the west the campaign
group CND (Campaign for
Nuclear Disarmament) was
strong. This led to
countries such as France
and the UK putting
pressure on the USA too.

9. The issue of Mutually
Assured Destruction
also scared both
countries.
For years, each side
had believed that the
other would not launch
a first strike; now
they were not sure.

10. Money problems
Both sides were also facing
money problems in the 1970s.
The USA and USSR were both
struggling to pay for
domestic policies e.g.
education, employment so
could not afford to keep
building weapons.

11. In 1973, each sides’
financial problems became
even worse.
The 1973 Oil Price Crisis
saw the price of oil
quadruple, which led to
price increases for all
products in all
countries.

12. China
China had a, influence
on détente, especially
after developing nuclear
weapons in 1964.
Although it was
officially a Communist
country, China was not a
firm supporter of the
Soviet Union.

13. The USA and China began to
develop better relations.
US President Richard Nixon
visited China in 1972.
The Soviet Union worried
that this relationship
would weaken them and so
sought better relations
with the USA too.